Wreckage of Air Canada plane removed from runway after crash in Halifax

CP

HALIFAX - The wreckage of an Air Canada plane that crashed Sunday has been removed from the Halifax airport's main runway, which will remain out of operation until damage is assessed and any necessary repairs are made, the airport authority said Wednesday.

The battered wreck of Flight 624 and its remnants, including an engine, landing gear and nose cone, were taken off the tarmac at Halifax Stanfield International Airport sometime overnight, spokeswoman Ashley Gallant said.

The runway, one of two at the airport, will undergo an inspection and repairs will be carried out as needed before it is cleared for use, Gallant said in a statement.

Nav Canada has begun assessing navigational aids that were damaged when the plane crashed and the runway's availability will be limited until they are repaired, she said.

The removal of the aircraft comes a day after the Transportation Safety Board said it had finished its examination of the site where the plane slammed into the ground about 335 metres short of the runway, then skidded on its belly on the runway for another 335 metres before stopping.

The board said it will maintain possession of the aircraft for further examination as it investigates what happened.

The Airbus A320 was flying from Toronto carrying 133 passengers and five crew on board. All survived, although 25 people were sent to hospital.